'Midnight in Paris' Becomes Woody Allen's Top Film of All Time in North America

The boy wizard, a.k.a Harry Potter, wasn’t the only film breaking records at the domestic box office this weekend.

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Box Office Shocker: 'Midnight in Paris' Becomes Woody Allen's Highest-Grossing Film in 25 Years

'Midnight In Paris' Expanding, Breaking Records

Sleeper hit Midnight in Paris has become Woody Allen’s top grossing pic of all time in North America, a sizeable victory for the filmmaker and Sony Pictures Classics.

Starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, Midnight in Paris grossed an estimated $1.9 million for the weekend, pushing its total to $41.8 million and overtaking Hannah and Her Sisters, which cumed $40.1 million in 1986 (not accounting for inflation).

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Midnight in Paris is the rare specialty title that catches fire with general audiences. The movie opened in only six theaters on May 20 to score one of the best location averages of all time ($99,834) at the domestic box office. At its widest point, the film played in more than 1,000 theaters. Its current count is 700.

In the film, Wilson’s character discovers an alternate reality while in Paris with his wife. Sony Classics’ Michael Barker and Tom Bernard say there are several reasons why the film is resonating.

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For one, the movie embraces Paris in a way that appeals to anyone who has either visited the city, or wants to visit. And Wilson plays the sort of “everyman” character that a moviegoers tend to see in more mainstream films, versus in arthouse titles (or in an Allen’s film). It also helps that critics across the country — and not just in New York — have given Midnight in Paris great reviews.

Midnight in Paris is Sony Classics’ No. 2 top grosser of all time after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which earned $128.1 million domestically.

Overseas, Midnight in Paris has earned a strong $33.5 million, for a worldwide total of $73.9 million to date.